


inception songfics

by attackoftheangryeyebrows



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Angst, BDSM, Dreams, F/M, Genderswap, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Music, Romance, Slash, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-12
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2017-10-19 07:24:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 3,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/198381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attackoftheangryeyebrows/pseuds/attackoftheangryeyebrows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of songfics mainly featuring Eames/Arthur, with mentions of Cobb/Mal and one-sided Arthur/Ariadne.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Only Exception

Track 01  
SONG: "The Only Exception" by Paramore  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames (Cobb/Mal, hints of Eames/Arthur)

While it is Cobb and Mal who cause Arthur to believe being alone is the best option, the idea's origins go back further than that. His parents are still married, but everyone knows that they possibly haven't shared the same bedroom since the night Arthur was conceived. It's a truth that no one in his family acknowledges, as even fake ignorance is bliss. Any love they might have once felt is gone now and they don't even care.

Mal and Cobb are a completely different story – a couple who spent fifty years together in a world of their own making, happy and satisfied. After returning from limbo, Mal became desperate to return to that existence, believing it to be the real world, and eventually committed suicide to escape. Arthur can't blame Cobb for trying to hold onto her, but he does become pissed every time Mal kills him on the job. It's become tiresome and irritating, especially since the shade makes working much more dangerous than it has to be.

But then there's Eames, that smug British bastard. He knew Mal, not as well as Arthur or Cobb, but he still took her death hard. Arthur remembers being on a job in London with the forger when he got the call from Cobb, who sounded too calm and detached, saying that Mal was dead by her own hand. Arthur's brain shut down, forcing Eames to take the phone from him and finish the conversation. When he finally hangs up, Arthur is functioning again.

"I thought she would snap out of it, I didn't realize it was so serious…"

"Don't think anyone realized, darling, not even Cobb."

Silence fills the hotel room. They had been planning a way to finagle information from their mark, but now work is the furthest thing from their minds.

"Is it possible to have a relationship?" Arthur asks quietly. "I mean, in our line of work? It just seems like tragedy waiting to happen…"

"Ah, ye of little faith." Eames pulls him close, tucking Arthur's head under his chin. "You don't think that love is worth the risk?"

"No," he says, hating that he sounds like a child. "Maybe?"

Arthur leans into the older man, taking comfort in the security he provides.

"Love," Eames says. "One day you'll fine someone who's worth risking limbo and a broken heart for."

After the job is over, Arthur watches the forger board his plane for Mombasa. He gets one last smile and a 'darling' before Eames disappears, and thinks to himself, But what if I already have?


	2. What I Say and What I Mean

Track 02  
SONG: "What I Say and What I Mean" by The Like  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Ariadne, Eames, Arthur (Eames/Arthur)

After three years working with them, Ariadne has learned to read between the lines, because neither man ever says what he means.

When Arthur calls the other man incorrigible, he's actually paying Eames a compliment. Arthur not so secretly finds the trait attractive, and Eames does his best to exploit that.

Eames may call the point man a stick in the mud, but he's the only one allowed to. Once, on a previous job, their chemist called Arthur a tight ass which resulted in Eames breaking the chemist's jaw. Thankfully they were able to replace the man with Yusuf, who had previously been unavailable.

'Darling' and 'Mr. Eames' are the only terms of endearment they use, at least as far as Ariadne knows. It's adorable, the way they dance around each other and flirt. They are rivals, no mistaking that, but Ariadne always shudders at the thought of them becoming enemies. Arthur and Eames are fully capable of tearing each other to shreds, but as lovers they turn that destructiveness into energy to complete the job or love each other.

Ariadne no longer regrets that her kiss with Arthur was a simple attempt at distracting Fischer's projections. Watching Eames and Arthur interact is her favorite hobby, second only to designing mazes. It's like having HBO, action, rom/com, and soap opera all thrown into one package.


	3. Simple Life

Track 03  
SONG: "Simple Life" by Carolina Liar  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames

"Don't you wish we had simple lives?"

Eames's cigarette is nearly gone, but he hasn't bothered to put it out. Arthur can't help but stare at his lips, feeling distinctly jealous of the cigarette and smoke.

"Maybe," says the forger, giving the question some thought. "But people like us can never go back to a meager existence, not after we've discovered what it feels like to be god."

Arthur can't disagree. The thought only came to him after his sister had called, happily informing him that he was going to be an uncle. His older sister's existence, compared to his, could be considered meager. She has never shared a dream with someone or knowingly built a city to suit her desires. She has no idea what a projection is - more than likely thinks that it has something to do with a movie projector or psychology.

His niece or nephew will probably grow-up just like that. The only reason Arthur is here, with Eames on a job in Amsterdam, is because he is an anomaly.

"Do you regret it?"

Finally Eames puts the cigarette out in the ash tray on their table, considering before giving the point man his answer.

"In the end...no. What about you, darling? Ever wish you were an average man with no imagination instead of a criminal one?"

And despite the fact that he now spends his time breaking the law for a living, and flying all over the world to avoid the enemies he's accumulated over the years, Arthur says, "No" and means it.


	4. You Know I'm No Good

Track 04  
SONG: "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames (Eames/Arthur)

When Eames notices the bruises on Arthur's wrist, the point man feels his heart stop. The older man takes hold of his thin wrist, ever so gentle, and strokes the bruise with his thumb.

"Darling," says Eames, sounding too bright. "What happened here?"

"Nothing." Arthur tries to pull his arm back, but Eames tightens his grip, making him wince. "Mr. Eames, honestly, your concern is unnecessary."

"Don't you dare try to bullshit me, darling." His eyes glitter dangerously, causing Arthur's breath to catch in his throat. "I deserve better than that and you know it."

"There wasn't any sex. I just… needed some disciplining."

"Why?"

Arthur swallows compulsively, avoiding Eames's eyes. "I almost got the team killed. My research was incomplete, I missed Fischer's training, and everyone almost fell into limbo."

"So this how the great Arthur punishes himself when he makes a mistake? He goes to some stranger for a good spanking in an attempt to learn the error of his ways?" Eames leans close and brings Arthur's hand to his lips, then kisses his knuckles tenderly. "I would be more than happy to provide the service, love. You should never allow a stranger that kind of powerful over you, especially since you don't know if you can trust them."

The younger man is speechless. Their relationship is complicated, even for them. It's casual, yet monogamous, and they only get to really see each other every few months or so. Whenever Arthur has the chance to work with Eames, he leaps at it, but it's a lot harder now that Cobb is gone. For Eames to make an offer like this, it's definitely a new step in their relationship. And Arthur knows that if he tells Eames no, he is essentially saying that he doesn't trust the forger, which is completely untrue.

Eames releases him, and Arthur cups the forger's scruffy face in his hand.

"Thank you," he says quietly, sincerely. "I'll keep that in mind the next time I make a mistake, which hopefully won't be any time soon."

This makes Eames laugh and Arthur smiles, knowing he has made the right choice.


	5. I Could Have Danced All Night

Track 05  
SONG: "I Could Have Danced All Night" by Marni Nixon  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames (Arthur/Eames)

"What's the matter Eames?" asks Arthur, noticing the scowl. "I would have thought that you had been dreaming of this moment since you were a little girl."

Eames ignores the bait. "She was hitting on you, darling. How come that doesn't bother you?"

"I don't know, maybe because I've had practice from ignoring your flirting for years."

"That bitch," Eames snarls. "Attempting to seduce you in front of me, like I wasn't even there. What gives her the right to do that?"

Arthur rolls his eyes. "It's her dream, Eames. Whatever she wants, she gets."

And it's true; currently they are in the first level of Isla Rankin's dream. He and Eames are dressed in fancy, expensive-looking clothes from another time, dancing in a ballroom full of aristocrats and royalty, as their mark is a British duchess.

"Feels like I just walked onto the set of _My Fair Lady_."

"Yes, well, that film did inspire some of this."

Smirking, Eames says, "Better hope Cobb doesn't find out. After all, 'Never recreate places from your memories-"

"-Always imagine new places'," Arthur finishes.

"And yet he never seems to heed his own advice," Eames muses. Hoping to take the forger's mind off Cobb, Arthur dips Eames, earning a smile.

"Have I mentioned how lovely you look tonight?"

"Ah, Arthur – always the charmer. You just want to get into my pants."

"What pants?" he deadpans, raising Eames.

They kiss, almost the same height. All he can _seefeeltaste_ is Eames, who sighs into his mouth and then pulls back.

"You'll ruin my make-up."

"I'd like to do more than that," Arthur replies, craving more.

"Are you offering me a date?"

He pulls the forger closer, wrapping an arm around Eames's waist possessively.

"I am, as long as you dress like this."

The dance ends and but they don't move apart.

"Darling, for you I would dress in drag."

Arthur doesn't say it, but he thinks Eames already is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Eames was a woman in case someone didn't get it.


	6. Grace Kelly

Track 06  
SONG: "Grace Kelly" by Mika  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Eames, Arthur (hint of Eames/Arthur, one-sided Arthur/Ariadne)

Mr. Eames, the forger, the man with over a thousand faces and bodies to go with them. Eames isn't sure what drew him to this profession, but he enjoys it. Becoming someone new every time he enters a dream the most incredible thing.

Sure, he can impersonate people, like he did with Browning, but creating a brand new identity is what he loves. And he loves using his creations to pester and flirt with a certain point man. Eames doesn't really know what Arthur's 'type' is, but he's having fun while trying to figure it out.

At first he thought Ariadne might be it, but Arthur's excuse of distraction is much more plausible than fantasy that girl has in her head. Ariadne's crush on him is cute, but Eames isn't sure he wants competition when it comes to the younger man's attention.

No matter what form Eames takes, Arthur always seems to it's him, although the forger doesn't try very hard to protect his identity from Arthur unless it's part of a training exercise. Ariadne and Yusuf are completely hopeless, and even Cobb occasionally picks the wrong person, which usually ends with Eames's subconscious attacking, sending the dreamer back to the world of the wakeful.

But Arthur is different. He pursues Eames, passing projections without a second glance. They both enjoy the chase, the hunt, but Eames's favorite part is the capture which is something Ariadne cannot begin to imagine.


	7. Don't Let It Go to Your Head

Track 07  
SONG: "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" by Fefe Dobson  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames (Eames/Arthur)

Eames is a naturally cocky person, but when Arthur finally agrees to go out with him, he reaches a new level that no one knew existed. He attempts to grope the point man at work, tries to get Arthur to have sex with him in random bathrooms, and constantly taunts him with innuendos in public. So Arthur, his patience gone, determines that yes, he wants to keep Eames around, but manageable.

The first time they enter a dream after Eames grabs his ass during a meeting, Arthur decides to teach him a lesson. A lesson which involves a gun and the shooting of several important body parts. Eames doesn't die, as Arthur manages use all of their time, but the forger hasn't tried to grope him in public or in front of their coworkers since.

Some things Arthur can't fix, and he's not sure he even wants to. He likes it when Eames flirts with him; it keeps their banter fresh and fun.

Eames often tries to coax Arthur into saying personal things or 'I love you', but that's not how the younger man works. It's a game, and he forces Eames to work for his bed and affection. Because if Arthur doesn't keep the forger modest, no one will.


	8. Even Now

Track 08  
SONG: "Even Now" by Dashboard Confessional  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames (Eames/Arthur)

Something is wrong, very wrong, Arthur can sense it. He and Eames are sitting outside of a little sandwich shop, just a local chain from Arthur's hometown, not far from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. For a moment he wonders if that is where he and Eames came from. Then he realizes he has no idea how he came to be here.

"Are we dreaming?"

"Yes." Eames won't meet Arthur's eyes, preferring to stare at his untouched sandwich.

Arthur looks around, trying to figure out why they would be here of all places. He knows University City, spent a good bit of time here, but has no reason to go back. His gaze shifts, and he notices the building just across the street from them.

"That hospital…I know that hospital. My mother went there when she had breast cancer, and my father…" Arthur trails off, his brain making connections. "Am I dying?"

"No!" The forger grabs his hands, desperate and horrified at the idea. "God, darling, no."

"Then what is it?"

"You're…you're in a coma, darling."

Arthur feels sick, sick enough to vomit, but if he did that, it wouldn't be real, because this wasn't real, because-

"What? What happened?"

Eames smiles, but it's a pathetic attempt to lighten the situation.

"Apparently I'm not the only one with people gunning for him."

"It was a hit?"

The other man nods. "A hit gone wrong. Thankfully Cobb got there in time, but I do regret that he got to kill the bastard instead of me."

"How did I end up in a coma?" A flash of pain briefly shows in Eames's eyes and Arthur regrets asking the question. "What's going to happen now?"

"Yusuf is working on a way to wake you up. Cobb, Ariadne, and Saito are looking for the person who ordered the hit. And I'm here to keep you company."

Arthur's stomach clenches at the idea of the world moving around him, but knowing that Eames will be with him makes things a bit more bearable.

"For how long?"

Eames leans across the table and kisses him tenderly.

"As long as it takes to wake my sleeping beauty."


	9. New Shoes

Track 09  
SONG: "New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Eames, Arthur (Eames/Arthur)

"It's a casual affair, darling, not a funeral."

"That's not funny, Eames. I said I didn't want a birthday party."

"Since when do I listen? Besides, you look fabulous. Give us a twirl, hm?"

Arthur sighs but gives in. Eames's smile is reflected in the mirror, and Arthur can see how much fun the older man is having. He has to admit, he doesn't look bad, just unprofessional. Eames has managed to talk him into a pair of black skinny jeans, a white button-up shirt, black vest, and purple silk tie.

"What do you think, darling?"

"I think it's nice to know that your bad taste only applies to your clothes."

"I knew you would like them." He kisses Arthur's cheek and wraps his arms around him. "Happy birthday. Oh, I almost forgot…"

Eames dashes away, and then comes back into their bedroom a minute later with a shoebox in his hands.

"What's that?" asks Arthur, shooting the box a wary look.

"Saved the best for last." Eames opens the box, revealing a pair of rainbow converse shoes.

"Mr. Eames, you are pushing your luck."

Arthur wears the shoes all through the night, and early into the morning. They only come off when Eames takes them off, along with Arthur's new clothes.


	10. Daydreamer

Track 10  
SONG: "Daydreamer" by Adele  
CHARACTERS/PAIRINGS: Arthur, Eames (Eames/Arthur)

One day when Arthur comes home from a job a year after inception, he finds Eames sitting on his apartment building's stoop. The older man looks like he's been sitting there for hours, as several cigarettes litter the ground around him. When he sees Arthur approaching, Eames puts his current cigarette out, and stands to greet him.

"Need some help with those bags, darling?"

"Thank you."

They wait while Arthur fishes his keys out and unlocks the door. Neither man speaks until they enter the point man's apartment.

"So how did you find me?" asks Arthur, placing his bags on the couch.

Eames shrugs, and says evasively, "I have my ways."

"I'm sure." He watches as Eames drops his load on the couch, as the forger straightens up, stretches. "Why, though?"

"Boredom…loneliness…who knows?" Eames gives him an easy grin, but it gives away so much.

"Speak plainly, Mr. Eames," Arthur says, not unkind.

"I want…I want to pick up where we left off, before I went to Mombasa."

"I thought you went to Mombasa because of me. Or am I wrong?"

Eames takes a seat next to the luggage, appearing uncomfortable and conflicted.

"You're not wrong Arthur," he says quietly. "I just didn't know what I wanted."

"And now you do?"

"Yes. And I want you."

Arthur finds himself thrown off by this honest confession. Usually Eames likes to beat around the bush, almost like Shakespeare.

"For how long?"

"For life, darling."

Eames spends the night holding Arthur, just holding him, as if he has never held the younger man before. And Arthur can suddenly see this, them, lasting for life.


	11. Tracklisting

Tracklisting

1\. The Only Exception by Paramore  
2\. What I Say and What I Mean by The Like  
3\. Simple Life by Carolina Liar  
4\. You Know I'm No Good by Amy Winehouse  
5\. I Could Have Danced All Night by Marni Nixon  
6\. Grace Kelly by Mika  
7\. Don't Let It Go to Your Head by Fefe Dobson  
8\. Even Now by Dashboard Confessional  
9\. New Shoes by Paolo Nutini  
10\. Daydreamer by Adele


End file.
